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carbon composite outperforms expensive platinum composites
FOCUS tonnes/y of CO2 for the daily production of 5000 tonnes of methanol/line. Preliminary analysis suggests emissions could be reduced by up to 75% at the Port of Kalama facility for the same level of methanol production, when using the ULE technology. The Kalama facility is currently in the permitting process, and a draft environmental impact statement is expected to be completed by late Fall 2015. Permitting on the Tacoma facility is planned to begin in late 2015, with Port Westward activities following in 2016, NWIW noted. Methanol produced by the facilities will be exported to Asia for the production of olefins. Original Source: PetroChemical News, 17 Aug 2015, 53 (32), 4 (Website: http://www. petrochemical-news.com) © William F. Bland Co., 2015
Evonik starts-up production plants in Marl, Germany Evonik Industries has started up new production plants for C4-based products in the Marl Chemical Park, Germany. This expansion of production in Marl is part of a capacity expansion throughout Europe for C4-based products, in which Evonik has invested a three-digit million euro amount in total. The Marl plant also marks a technological milestone for Evonik. Thanks to an entirely new process worldwide, fluid catalytic cracking (FCC)-C4 material streams can be used for production of a wider range of chemicals. With the help of this process, refineries transform heavy crude oil components in fuel components. Fluid catalytic cracking produces a C4 material stream that, besides the components that can be used for chemical processing (olefins), contains further accompanying substances. The industry has therefore so far not used this FCC-C4 material stream. By developing its own new technologies and combining these with others procured externally, Evonik has now succeeded in utilizing this material stream from the refinery. The new technology incorporates various chemical reactions and absorption techniques that allow an efficient yet flexible process. The 90-m column removes the saturated compounds (butanes), which are of less interest to Evonik, from the FCC-C4 material stream, so that the more valuable unsaturated C4 compounds (butenes) can be further processed to speciality chemicals. Evonik draws the FCC-C4
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material stream by pipeline from the refinery in Gelsenkirchen, about 15 km from the Marl site. Because the residual butanes are a valuable raw material for the Scholven refinery, Evonik returns these by pipeline to Gelsenkirchen where it is used as a raw material for the olefin plant. Original Source: Evonik as cited in SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 1 Sep 2015, (Website: http:// www.specialchem4polymers.com) © Evonik 2015.
BASF begins work on new chemical catalysts plant in Shanghai BASF has broken ground on a new chemical catalysts manufacturing plant at its existing site at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park, in Caojing, Shanghai, China. The new plant will produce custom catalysts, base metal catalysts, and adsorbents, for the Asian and Chinese markets. Start-up is scheduled in 4Q 2016. Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 30 Jun 2015, LX (47), 175 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015.
Industry news: plant set-ups/ capacity additions: Show Denko expands plant The used-plastic gasification plant of Showa Denko (SDK) in Kawasaki, Japan has been expanded. The company produces ammonia at the plant. It utilized used plastic to obtain part of hydrogen needed for the synthesis of ammonia.
New projects and permanent plant shutdowns, 24-28 Aug 2015 A table provides a detailed summary of announcements on new projects during 24-28 Aug 2015. China North Industries Corp (Norinco) has secured approval for several chemical units in Panjin, Liaoning, China, including a 500,000 tonnes/y acetone plant and a 160,000 tonnes/y acrylic acid plant. These projects, which are part of a $12.7 bn investment, could commence operations as soon as 2019. Meanwhile, Evonik Industries has cancelled its 120,000 tonnes/y methyl methacrylate (MMA) project in Mobile, AL, US. Lanxess and Lotte Ube Synthetic Rubber have completed their respective polybutadiene rubber plants in Jurong, Singapore (140,000 tonnes/y) and Tanjung Langsat, Johor, Malaysia (50,000 tonnes/y), which are both scheduled for start-up in Aug 2015. Novapex has also completed its isopropanol capacity expansion to 80,000 tonnes/y in Rousillon, France that is slated for launch in Aug 2015. Original Source: ICIS Chemical Business, 7-13 Sep 2015, 288 (8), 23 (Website: http://www. icis.com) © Reed Business Information Limited 2015.
NEW TECHNOLOGY Oxide/carbon composite outperforms expensive platinum composites
South Africa-based Sasol has increased capacity at its alumina spheres facility in Brunsbuttel, Germany, to 4000 tonnes/y to meet higher demand for aluminabased shaped carrier materials for industrial non-catalytic and catalytic applications.
Researchers from the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering have developed catalysts made from nanocrystals of spinel oxide MnCo2O4 and carbon nanotubes or sheets. Oxygen reaction test results indicate that the new material functions more efficiently than platinum. Devices powered by the new battery material persisted around five times longer than platinum-based ones. The new electrode material is also more durable and less costly than conventional platinum and carbon composites.
Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 2 Jun 2015, LX (43), 187 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015.
Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 31 Mar 2015, 180-181 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015.
Original Source: Plastics and Rubber Asia, Aug 2015, 30 (215), 6 (Website: http://www. plasticsandrubberasia.com) © Plastics & Rubber Asia Ltd 2015.
Sasol expands alumina spheres plant capacity in Germany
October 2015
Evonik starts-up production plants in Marl, Germany Evonik Industries has started up new production plants for C4-based products in the Marl Chemical Park, Germany. This expansion of production in Marl is part of a capacity expansion throughout Europe for C4-based products, in which Evonik has invested a three-digit million euro amount in total. The Marl plant also marks a technological milestone for Evonik. Thanks to an entirely new process worldwide, fluid catalytic cracking (FCC)-C4 material streams can be used for production of a wider range of chemicals. With the help of this process, refineries transform heavy crude oil components in fuel components. Fluid catalytic cracking produces a C4 material stream that, besides the components that can be used for chemical processing (olefins), contains further accompanying substances. The industry has therefore so far not used this FCC-C4 material stream. By developing its own new technologies and combining these with others procured externally, Evonik has now succeeded in utilizing this material stream from the refinery. The new technology incorporates various chemical reactions and absorption techniques that allow an efficient yet flexible process. The 90-m column removes the saturated compounds (butanes), which are of less interest to Evonik, from the FCC-C4 material stream, so that the more valuable unsaturated C4 compounds (butenes) can be further processed to speciality chemicals. Evonik draws the FCC-C4
6
ON
C ATA LY S T S
material stream by pipeline from the refinery in Gelsenkirchen, about 15 km from the Marl site. Because the residual butanes are a valuable raw material for the Scholven refinery, Evonik returns these by pipeline to Gelsenkirchen where it is used as a raw material for the olefin plant. Original Source: Evonik as cited in SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 1 Sep 2015, (Website: http:// www.specialchem4polymers.com) © Evonik 2015.
BASF begins work on new chemical catalysts plant in Shanghai BASF has broken ground on a new chemical catalysts manufacturing plant at its existing site at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park, in Caojing, Shanghai, China. The new plant will produce custom catalysts, base metal catalysts, and adsorbents, for the Asian and Chinese markets. Start-up is scheduled in 4Q 2016. Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 30 Jun 2015, LX (47), 175 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015.
Industry news: plant set-ups/ capacity additions: Show Denko expands plant The used-plastic gasification plant of Showa Denko (SDK) in Kawasaki, Japan has been expanded. The company produces ammonia at the plant. It utilized used plastic to obtain part of hydrogen needed for the synthesis of ammonia.
New projects and permanent plant shutdowns, 24-28 Aug 2015 A table provides a detailed summary of announcements on new projects during 24-28 Aug 2015. China North Industries Corp (Norinco) has secured approval for several chemical units in Panjin, Liaoning, China, including a 500,000 tonnes/y acetone plant and a 160,000 tonnes/y acrylic acid plant. These projects, which are part of a $12.7 bn investment, could commence operations as soon as 2019. Meanwhile, Evonik Industries has cancelled its 120,000 tonnes/y methyl methacrylate (MMA) project in Mobile, AL, US. Lanxess and Lotte Ube Synthetic Rubber have completed their respective polybutadiene rubber plants in Jurong, Singapore (140,000 tonnes/y) and Tanjung Langsat, Johor, Malaysia (50,000 tonnes/y), which are both scheduled for start-up in Aug 2015. Novapex has also completed its isopropanol capacity expansion to 80,000 tonnes/y in Rousillon, France that is slated for launch in Aug 2015. Original Source: ICIS Chemical Business, 7-13 Sep 2015, 288 (8), 23 (Website: http://www. icis.com) © Reed Business Information Limited 2015.
NEW TECHNOLOGY Oxide/carbon composite outperforms expensive platinum composites
South Africa-based Sasol has increased capacity at its alumina spheres facility in Brunsbuttel, Germany, to 4000 tonnes/y to meet higher demand for aluminabased shaped carrier materials for industrial non-catalytic and catalytic applications.
Researchers from the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering have developed catalysts made from nanocrystals of spinel oxide MnCo2O4 and carbon nanotubes or sheets. Oxygen reaction test results indicate that the new material functions more efficiently than platinum. Devices powered by the new battery material persisted around five times longer than platinum-based ones. The new electrode material is also more durable and less costly than conventional platinum and carbon composites.
Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 2 Jun 2015, LX (43), 187 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015.
Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 31 Mar 2015, 180-181 (Website: http://www. chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2015.
Original Source: Plastics and Rubber Asia, Aug 2015, 30 (215), 6 (Website: http://www. plasticsandrubberasia.com) © Plastics & Rubber Asia Ltd 2015.
Sasol expands alumina spheres plant capacity in Germany
October 2015